01/27/2026
How Cold Weather Impacts Injury Recovery
Athletes often notice more stiffness, soreness, or sensitivity in colder temps—but why?
💥 Key Factors:
• Reduced tissue extensibility: Muscles, tendons, and fascia are less compliant in the cold—leading to higher perceived stiffness and injury sensitivity.
• Vasoconstriction: Decreased blood flow can delay tissue healing and lower oxygen delivery to recovering areas.
• Altered pain perception: Cold can heighten nociception in sensitized tissues, especially in tendinopathy, joint pathology, or nerve irritation.
• Behavioral shifts: Less warm-up, shorter sessions, more sedentary time = increased injury risk or slowed progress.
🔁 Clinical Tips:
• Prioritize longer, dynamic warm-ups to restore tissue readiness.
• Encourage layering + movement during downtime to prevent re-cooling.
• Reinforce consistent loading even if symptoms fluctuate with the weather.
• Use cold weather as a cue to re-check tendon reactivity, mobility, and tolerance under load.
📍Colder temps don’t reverse progress—but they may unmask deficits. Use that info clinically.
